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Taiwan to introduce law encouraging middle-aged and elderly workers

A draft act offering benefits to employers of workers aged 45 and over will be proposed at an Executive Yuan meeting

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By Taiwan News

2019/07/24 18:15

(Pixabay photo) (Pixabay photo)

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) -- Taiwan’s Executive Yuan (行政院) is primed to introduce a draft act that ensures equality in the workplace for middle-aged and elderly workers.

As Taiwan continues to feel the effects of an aging population, labor reform is needed to keep up with the changes. Lawmakers are therefore seeking workplace solutions and looking to retain older workers in the labor market.

The draft act, set to be introduced at an Executive Yuan meeting on Thursday (July 25), allows employers to offer new contracts to workers aged 65 and over. Previous regulations forced workers to retire when they turned 65, reported the Liberty Times.

The draft act provides subsidies to employers offering on-the-job training to employees aged between 45 and 65. The same benefits are likely to be rolled out for companies training over 65s in the future.

Further subsidies will be given to companies employing high numbers of workers aged 65 and older or employing elderly workers for a sustained period of time. The Ministry of Labor said it encouraged the creation of middle-aged and elderly-friendly work environments.

The draft act also outlaws ageism in the workplace, banning employers from offering lower wages or firing them based on their age. Those violating these regulations could be fined up to NT$1.5 million (US$48,000).